Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by to take the time to learn about some college tips. I included a video where you can watch me talk about the same things, but I thought I would take the time to write and highlight the main points of my video!
The college search process can be a very overwhelming experience, as I began to look back on my own navigation process I remember being lost and honestly, stressed. I didn’t know where to begin. I was privileged enough to be under the guidance of a college access program in Chicago, which provided me with the tools to find schools that I could see myself attending. Below are the three major tips that helped me!
1. Create a List
It is important to find a school that you can see yourself attending and creating a community. Not every school is for every student—and that’s ok! I think it is important for students to make these realizations to ensure that the college/university is the best fit for them. I would begin by creating a list of wants and needs that you see as important in your college experience. Understand that this list is not concrete. As you begin to learn more about yourself and other schools you may want to add more things or erase something you had before. Some wants or needs that may be helpful to start off with is location—are you open to leaving the current location you are in right now? Are you okay with the possibility of weather changes? Would you like to be in a school that is located in a more city-like environment or would you be fine with studying somewhere more suburban or rural? Another point that may be helpful to add is the size of school you see yourself attending. Are you someone who thrives in a big learning environment? Or would you like to attend a smaller school where you can receive more individualized attention? I also believe it important to ask yourself what resources you see yourself needing from an institution. Again, this list will change as you learn more about yourself and continue to go through your own college search process.
2.Take Advantage of Online Content
Given that schools have no longer been able to provide information sessions and tours in person, many schools have taken the time to create a bigger online presence on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and a revamp in their websites. This has made information much more accessible to folks who were previously not able to visit each of the schools they are interested in. Definitely take the time to go through each school’s social media feed and learn about the different sessions or webinars they are offering! For any upcoming Scripps events please make sure to check out Scripps on your screen.
3.Reach Out to Current Students
This is something I wish I would have done more of! Again, with the push for a bigger online presence, most schools have also given prospective students the opportunity to connect with current students. If this is an option, definitely do it! While schools can provide a lot of online content, I believe it is just as important to learn about the student perspective at that school. This way, you have the opportunity to ask more personalized questions about their experience. which will hopefully help guide whether you see yourself attending that school!
I hope these tips were helpful! Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions regarding anything I talked about, or would just like to learn more about my Scripps experience.